SYRACUSE, N.Y. (AP) — A group of lawmakers in New York state say the state needs to do more to fight synthetic marijuana.

The state Senate’s Independent Democratic Conference plans to hold a public hearing Thursday in Syracuse focusing on the health risks of the recreational substance and suggested ways to combat its use.

It’s part of a larger push by the group to crack down on what health officials say is a growing problem posed by synthetic marijuana, a drug designed to mimic the effects of marijuana that can have far different effects on the body and brain.

State figures show that the number of emergency room visits related to synthetic drug use went up by more than eight times between April and September when compared to the same period last year.